While asking for a job, a visa, or some other official document which requires a degree certificate, one may need to know these two terms ‘apostille’ and ‘attestation.’ Though in both the processes, the documents are verified to be authentic, there are some differences on the way they are conducted. In this guide, you will learn about what apostille and attestation are, and when might need a degree certificate apostille or attestation.
What is an Apostille
An apostille is the official certificate which is to be provided by some authorized agency of the country that is, the department of states or the foreign office of the country that issued the degree. Also known as an apostille, it is a genuine copy of a document that is recognized in a country that is a member of the Hague Convention. They are basically a means of reducing the complexity of the legalisation procedure wherein the apostille removes the necessity for further legalisation or translation.
What is Attestation
Attestation is the certification given to the document by the relevant authority in the country, which issued the document. It has not become an industry norm and exact specifications may differ from one country to the other. The main objective of attestation is to guarantee that, the certificate tendered is not counterfeit and has not undergone any alteration.
In this form of professional certification, there are two significant procedures that are frequently confused or mistaken for each other. Apostille and Attestation, while both serve as a proof of the authenticity of the attached documents, which have been certified by the respective authorities, the process of Attestation is mostly confined to a specific country while Apostille is easily acceptable in any society around the world.
- Purpose: An apostille is designed initially for international usage, ensuring the document’s acceptance in the countries participating in the Hague Convention without further authentication. While on the other hand, attestation is mainly done within a specific country or an area where legalisation may be needed.
- Document Type: Even though, apostille and attestation services may be different however both are used for degree certificates, degree certificate apostille is used for those degree certificates which have been issued in one country and needs to be used in another Hague convention country. Attestation on the other hand may be required where the document may be required to be certified in the same country of issuance.
- Authorized Bodies: It should be noted that the apostille can be issued by different authorities depending on the country, which the degree was obtained. However, in many countries, the apostilles are issued by the ministry of foreign affairs or country’s embassy. It should also be noted that the documentary certification can be made by different authorities in certain countries, for instance educational facilities, state bodies, or notary.
- Process: An apostille is the certification of a document that is done through a process that is basically similar all over the world and it is normally done by relevant official bodies and accepted by countries those are part of Hague convention. This includes matching the degree certificate with the original document and making sure the document that was issued is genuine. On the other hand, attestation can be complex or a simple process depending on the country’s regulation and additional services such as notarization, legalization, and translation may be necessary.
- Timeframe: It is also important to note that processing an apostille usually takes lesser time than processing an attestation. However, the particular time can be different based on the country which granted the degree and level of processing. It may sometimes take a long time depending on the conditions that may be required in the country where the given document will have to be produced.
However, it is important to note that the nations’ rules concerning apostille and attestation procedures may differ depending on the country of origin of the degree. To ensure that the information is accurate and to avoid experiences where the submission was rejected or took longer than expected, it is recommended to consult the official document from the respective authorities’ website.
